The Vipassana blog: four days to go

i had set the alarm four a.m, in preparation for the Vipassans retreat. When I opened my eyes, I saw something dark circling the room, near the ceiling. At first, I thought it was a hallucination. Then I discovered it was a bat.

very strange. I woke up my wife and she also saw the bat, circling round and round, just a few feet over our heads.

Then, we both rushed out of the bedroom. We closed the bedroom door, and sealed it with a large towel. We went downstairs, and tried to figure out what to do next. It was still very early, so all offices were closed. Around 7 am, we called the City of Ottawa. We were advised to open a window, so that the bat could fly away. We did this, and also called a pest control company. My wife called her brother, who lives close by.

It was a busy morning. My brother came over, and we inspected the bedroom for signs of the bat. We finally found him hiding behind a large painting in the bedroom. We left him alone, as we had called the pest control company;their animal control specialist will be around this afternoon to remove the bat, and to inspect the house to figure out how the bat could enter the home. The house is in very good condition and Anila keeps it very clean.

So, what does all this have to do with Vipassana?

A little research on the Internet shows that a bat entering a house is symbol of good luck in many cultures. The bat sleeps upside down, so it could signify a major transformation in our lives.